Destin Middle School

Q: Is Destin Middle School a good school?

Destin Middle School ranks 206 th of 1196 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Destin Middle School is a public middle school in Destin, Florida, serving grades 5-8 with a student population of 846. As part of the Okaloosa School District, which is ranked 12th out of 68 districts in Florida, Destin Middle School has consistently maintained a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger, indicating strong academic performance.

Destin Middle School stands out for its exceptional academic achievements, consistently outperforming the Okaloosa district and the state of Florida in various assessments. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the school had 96% proficiency in Algebra 1 EOC, 100% proficiency in Geometry EOC, and 82% proficiency in Civics EOC, compared to 61% and 55% for Okaloosa and Florida, respectively. However, the school has a higher rate of chronic absenteeism, ranging from 17.8% to 22.0%, which is an area the school may want to address. Additionally, Destin Middle School has a higher percentage of White students (75.89%) compared to the nearby Walton and Okaloosa district schools, which have more diverse student populations.

When comparing Destin Middle School to other schools in the Okaloosa district, it becomes evident that the school outperforms its peers in academic assessments, particularly in subjects like Algebra 1, Geometry, and Civics. This suggests that Destin Middle School may have more effective teaching strategies or resources that contribute to its students' success. However, the school's higher spending per student ($8,919 in 2022-2023) compared to the state average may also play a role in its strong academic performance. By addressing areas of concern, such as chronic absenteeism and racial diversity, Destin Middle School can continue to enhance its educational offerings and provide an exceptional learning environment for its students.

Detail:

Public 5-8

4608 Legendary Marina Dr
Destin, FL 32541

(850) 833-7655

District: Okaloosa

SchoolDigger Rank:
206^th of 1,196 Florida Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,919

Students who attend Destin Middle School usually attend:

High:

Fort Walton Beach High School

Feeder schools for Destin Middle School:

Elementary:

Destin Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 20.0

Number of students: 851

Racial breakdown:

White:

71.0%

Hispanic:

14.6%

Two or more races:

5.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 35.6%

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Compare Destin Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Destin Middle School ranks better than 82.8% of middle schools in Florida. It also ranks 3^rd among 8 ranked middle schools in the Okaloosa School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 79.75. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (71%), Hispanic (14.6%), two or more races (5.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 35.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Destin Middle School is 20. 5 middle schools in the Okaloosa School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Destin Middle School employs 42.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Destin Middle School is $8,919. 4 middle schools in the Okaloosa School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Destin Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Destin Middle School 206^th of 1196 Florida public middle schools. (See Destin Middle School in the ranking list.)

Okaloosa:

SchoolDigger ranks Okaloosa 12^th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Destin Middle School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	FL State Percentile
2004	95.85	9^th	593	98.5%
2005	96.21	12^th	602	98.0%
2006	93.88	22^nd	675	96.7%
2007	94.26	17^th	736	97.7%
2008	93.95	20^th	740	97.3%
2009	93.24	24^th	780	96.9%
2010	91.19	41^st	839	95.1%
2011	91.56	37^th	891	95.8%
2012	92.35	44^th	897	95.1%
2013	86.65	91^st	956	90.5%
2014	86.90	98^th	999	90.2%
2016	88.75	84^th	997	91.6%
2017	85.18	139^th	1031	86.5%
2018	87.46	116^th	1035	88.8%
2019	82.64	171^st	1099	84.4%
2021	81.20	176^th	1136	84.5%
2022	83.10	162^nd	1148	85.9%
2023	83.66	160^th	1177	86.4%
2024	79.75	206^th	1196	82.8%

See the entire list of Florida Middle School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Florida Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Florida Department of Education

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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Destin Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1998	467	2	4	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	479
1999	508	2	5	7	1	n/a	n/a	0	523
2000	518	4	11	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	545
2001	485	4	11	11	2	n/a	n/a	0	513
2002	642	2	7	16	3	n/a	n/a	0	670
2003	642	2	7	16	3	n/a	n/a	0	670
2004	705	2	11	18	2	n/a	n/a	0	738
2005	676	4	12	16	1	n/a	n/a	0	709
2006	657	10	13	23	1	n/a	n/a	0	704
2007	564	8	7	19	1	n/a	n/a	8	607
2008	520	6	10	23	0	n/a	n/a	17	576
2009	569	5	12	33	1	n/a	n/a	16	636
2010	547	5	15	30	2	n/a	n/a	18	617
2011	563	10	16	52	1	0	16	0	658
2012	516	5	21	51	1	0	15	0	609
2013	515	8	15	52	1	0	14	0	605
2014	517	12	17	78	3	0	27	0	654
2015	516	17	16	73	2	0	40	0	664
2016	553	17	14	73	2	2	46	0	707
2017	570	22	17	78	4	1	42	0	734
2018	598	15	14	71	3	1	44	0	746
2019	586	21	18	87	2	0	46	0	760
2020	588	23	17	82	2	0	38	0	750
2021	601	37	20	67	0	1	39	0	765
2022	634	32	21	78	3	2	41	0	811
2023	642	35	20	101	3	3	42	0	846
2024	604	38	31	124	3	1	50	0	851

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Destin Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1998	479	20.0	24.0	5
1999	523	22.0	23.8	6.7
2000	545	23.0	23.7	7.2
2001	513	22.0	23.3	6.6
2002	670	26.0	25.8	7.3
2003	670	26.0	25.8	7.3
2004	738	30.0	24.6	8.9
2005	709	32.0	22.2	8.3
2006	704	34.0	20.7	14.2
2007	607	30.0	20.2	8.8
2008	576	35.0	16.5	11.4
2009	636	35.9	17.9	15
2010	617	36.0	17.1	19.5
2011	658	40.1	16.4	23.6
2012	609	36.5	16.6	20.4
2013	605	35.0	17.2	19
2014	654	37.0	17.6	27.5
2015	664	37.0	17.9	29.4
2016	707	39.0	18.1	28.7
2017	734	40.0	18.3	30.1
2018	746	39.0	19.1	33.1
2019	760	40.0	19.0	31.7
2020	750	39.0	19.2	33.2
2021	765	40.6	18.8	39.6
2022	811	37.9	21.3	30.5
2023	846	43.2	19.5	36.2
2024	851	42.4	20.0	35.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Destin Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1998	479	20.0	24.0	5
1999	523	22.0	23.8	6.7
2000	545	23.0	23.7	7.2
2001	513	22.0	23.3	6.6
2002	670	26.0	25.8	7.3
2003	670	26.0	25.8	7.3
2004	738	30.0	24.6	8.9
2005	709	32.0	22.2	8.3
2006	704	34.0	20.7	14.2
2007	607	30.0	20.2	8.8
2008	576	35.0	16.5	11.4
2009	636	35.9	17.9	15
2010	617	36.0	17.1	19.5
2011	658	40.1	16.4	23.6
2012	609	36.5	16.6	20.4
2013	605	35.0	17.2	19
2014	654	37.0	17.6	27.5
2015	664	37.0	17.9	29.4
2016	707	39.0	18.1	28.7
2017	734	40.0	18.3	30.1
2018	746	39.0	19.1	33.1
2019	760	40.0	19.0	31.7
2020	750	39.0	19.2	33.2
2021	765	40.6	18.8	39.6
2022	811	37.9	21.3	30.5
2023	846	43.2	19.5	36.2
2024	851	42.4	20.0	35.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Destin Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$98 (1.3%)	$7,538 (98.7%)	$7,636
2019	$112 (1.5%)	$7,493 (98.5%)	$7,605
2020	$96 (1.2%)	$7,692 (98.8%)	$7,788
2021	$359 (4.5%)	$7,640 (95.5%)	$7,998
2022	$1,287 (15.4%)	$7,095 (84.6%)	$8,382
2023	$1,444 (16.2%)	$7,474 (83.8%)	$8,919

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Destin Middle School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 171^st of 1099 Middle schools	Ranks 160^th of 1177 Middle schools	2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
5th Grade English Language Arts (Destin Middle School)	66	71	5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Okaloosa)	67	62	5%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Destin Middle School)	69	69
5th Grade Mathematics (Okaloosa)	71	58	13%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Destin Middle School)	61	51	10%
5th Grade Science (Okaloosa)	63	57	6%
5th Grade Science (Florida)	53	51	2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Destin Middle School)	66	70	4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Okaloosa)	63	58	5%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	54	52	2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Destin Middle School)	68	74	6%
6th Grade Mathematics (Okaloosa)	62	54	8%
6th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	55	49	6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Destin Middle School)	72	71	1%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Okaloosa)	58	53	5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	52	48	4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Destin Middle School)	85	78	7%
7th Grade Mathematics (Okaloosa)	73	62	11%
7th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	54	46	8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Destin Middle School)	70	59	11%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Okaloosa)	66	55	11%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	49	7%
8th Grade Mathematics (Destin Middle School)	81	53	28%
8th Grade Mathematics (Okaloosa)	65	54	11%
8th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	46	42	4%
8th Grade Science (Destin Middle School)	76	68	8%
8th Grade Science (Okaloosa)	67	61	6%
8th Grade Science (Florida)	48	44	4%
End of Course Civics (Destin Middle School)	78	82	4%
End of Course Civics (Okaloosa)	78	70	8%
End of Course Civics (Florida)	71	66	5%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Destin Middle School)	98	98
End of Course Algebra 1 (Okaloosa)	78	65	13%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Florida)	62	54	8%
End of Course Geometry (Destin Middle School)	100	97	3%
End of Course Geometry (Okaloosa)	73	65	8%
End of Course Geometry (Florida)	57	50	7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	760	846	11.3%
African American	21	35	66.7%
American Indian	2	3	50%
Asian	18	20	11.1%
Hispanic	87	101	16.1%
Pacific Islander	0	3
White	586	642	9.6%
Two or More Races	46	42	8.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	31.7%	36.2%	4.5%

Schools Near Destin Middle School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				FAST English Language Arts (2024)				FAST Math (2024)				Statewide Science Science (2024)		EOC Algebra 1 (2024)	EOC Geometry (2024)	EOC Civics (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 5th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Destin Middle School	Public	5-8	4608 Legendary Marina Dr	Destin	32541	Okaloosa County	Okaloosa	No	No	No	No	(850) 833-7655	851	42	20.0	35.6%	604 (71.0%)	38 (4.5%)	124 (14.6%)	31 (3.6%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	50 (5.9%)	79.7	206^th of 1196 public middle schools	82.8%		83.7	160^th of 1177 public middle schools	86.4%	46	65.0	68.0	66.0	67.0	67.0	69.0	82.0	75.0	57.0	56.0	96.0	100.0	82.0	$8,919	$1,444	$7,474
C. W. Ruckel Middle School	Public	6-8	201 Partin Dr N	Niceville	32578	Okaloosa County	Okaloosa	No	No	No	No	(850) 833-4142	1,054	52	20.1	20.5%	806 (76.5%)	27 (2.6%)	116 (11.0%)	9 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.3%)	93 (8.8%)	88.5	100^th of 1196 public middle schools	91.6%		88.7	99^th of 1177 public middle schools	91.6%	1		74.0	70.0	76.0		75.0	92.0	79.0		80.0	99.0	100.0	88.0	$8,274	$1,291	$6,983
Okaloosa Stemm Center	Public, Magnet	6-8	379 Edge Ave	Valparaiso	32580	Okaloosa County	Okaloosa	No	Yes	No	No	(850) 833-4120	359	23	15.6	25.6%	237 (66.0%)	14 (3.9%)	51 (14.2%)	10 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	45 (12.5%)	98.8	1^st of 1196 public middle schools	99.9%		99.2	1^st of 1177 public middle schools	99.9%			96.0	97.0	99.0			98.0			96.0	99.0	98.0	99.0	$10,406	$2,110	$8,296
Clifford Meigs Middle School	Public	6-8	150 Richbourg Ave	Shalimar	32579	Okaloosa County	Okaloosa	No	No	No	No	(850) 833-4301	558	33	16.9	54.5%	360 (64.5%)	62 (11.1%)	69 (12.4%)	12 (2.2%)	2 (0.4%)	3 (0.5%)	50 (9.0%)	62.2	414^th of 1196 public middle schools	65.4%		58	460^th of 1177 public middle schools	60.9%	46		60.0	51.0	58.0		54.0	67.0	61.0		48.0	79.0	80.0	60.0	$10,220	$1,776	$8,444
W. C. Pryor Middle School	Public	6-8	201 Racetrack Rd NW	Fort Walton Beach	32547	Okaloosa County	Okaloosa	No	No	No	Yes	(850) 833-3613	679	40	16.9	68.8%	243 (35.8%)	94 (13.8%)	273 (40.2%)	13 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.6%)	52 (7.7%)	42.9	688^th of 1196 public middle schools	42.5%		50.6	554^th of 1177 public middle schools	52.9%	134		40.0	40.0	40.0		47.0	63.0	54.0		45.0	87.0	95.0	60.0	$10,646	$2,263	$8,383
Max Bruner Junior Middle School	Public	6-8	322 Holmes Blvd NW	Fort Walton Beach	32548	Okaloosa County	Okaloosa	No	No	No	Yes	(850) 833-3266	739	41	18.2	60.6%	316 (42.8%)	134 (18.1%)	179 (24.2%)	15 (2.0%)	3 (0.4%)	6 (0.8%)	86 (11.6%)	49.7	600^th of 1196 public middle schools	49.8%		46.4	616^th of 1177 public middle schools	47.7%	16		52.0	43.0	46.0		45.0	56.0	61.0		49.0	79.0	78.0	60.0	$10,738	$2,119	$8,619
Freeport Middle School	Public	5-8	360 Kylea Laird Dr	Freeport	32439	Walton County	Walton	No	No	No	No	(850) 892-1220	678	42	16.3	51.5%	457 (67.4%)	22 (3.2%)	152 (22.4%)	13 (1.9%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (4.7%)	69.2	339^th of 1196 public middle schools	71.7%		65.7	373^rd of 1177 public middle schools	68.3%	34	53.0	60.0	59.0	56.0	58.0	67.0	60.0	70.0	58.0	61.0	88.0	100.0	86.0	$10,561	$1,380	$9,180
Emerald Coast Middle School	Public	6-8	4019 Us Highway 98e	Santa Rosa Beach	32459	Walton County	Walton	No	No	No	No	(850) 622-5025	872	49	17.7	30.4%	601 (68.9%)	31 (3.6%)	190 (21.8%)	11 (1.3%)	3 (0.3%)	2 (0.2%)	34 (3.9%)	75.4	254^th of 1196 public middle schools	78.8%		79	210^th of 1177 public middle schools	82.2%	44		66.0	54.0	63.0		82.0	66.0	66.0		65.0	96.0	100.0	74.0	$10,172	$1,170	$9,001

Frequently Asked Questions about Destin Middle School

What high school do graduates of Destin Middle School attend?

Students who attend Destin Middle School usually go on to attend Fort Walton Beach High School

What district is Destin Middle School in?

Okaloosa

What is the racial makeup of Destin Middle School?

Students at Destin Middle School are 71% White, 15% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 4% African American, 4% Asian.

How many students attend Destin Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 851 students attended Destin Middle School.

Is Destin Middle School a good school?

Destin Middle School ranks 206^th of 1196 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Florida Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.